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Here's an interesting article about opposition to the IPAB. As part of his deficit reduction plan, President Obama appointed a 15 member panel, the Independent Payment Advisory Board, to keep medicare spending under control. Currently, Obama wants to increase the power of this board. Republicans and quite a few Democrats stand against this. They claim that "the president’s proposal punts difficult decisions on health spending to an unelected, unaccountable board of bureaucrats.” This proposal would set stricter goals for medicare spending and, if necessary, the board would be able to step in to enforce more cost-cutting devices.
Many have voiced their concerns about what this will mean for the future of Medicare. Congress claims that it is their "constitutional duty to take responsibility for Medicare". By turning it over, they will not longer be properly able to represent their constituents, especially seniors and disabled citizens.
What are your thoughts on this? Should the President appoint a board to take care of cutting back the costs of this extremely expensive program? Or are “arbitrary spending targets not a good way to make health policy"?
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I really don't know how I feel about the board to be honest. On one hand I think that a board will get decisions to be made and carried out and on the other hand I think that we would lose a lot of power as voters because we are not directly picking who goes on the board. I think that this would be a prime opportunity to get people with more bias and certain ideologies onto the board which isn't representative of the voters frame of mind. So on one hand decisions are made and on the other hand the decision makers are not vested in the voters/people of America. They don't owe us anything like elected officials do so they could be more against what the general population wants.
ReplyDeleteThese important decisions on Medicare should be left in the hands of congress.
ReplyDeleteBesides "trying to reduce Medicare costs," what other motives could be behind the possible strengthening of the IPAB board?
I am going to have to disagree with Mark on this one. Healthcare is already, and has been, regulated by the insurance companies. They are not elected, but make their decisions based upon profits for their companies. The current system on decisions concerning Medicare already goes goes through the Congress. We are talking about the same Congress that is being lobbied continually by pharmaceuticals, doctors, hospitals etc. These same members of Congress enjoy first class, taxpayer subsidized healthcare. I personally believe that we cannot have savings, and reasonable discussions on healthcare without some kind of panel of people who know health care from every angle. Since we use independent panels of experts to make decisions in all areas of life, both private and public. Also, I would probably trust real professionals in healthcare whose obligations are to provide good and affordable care. I don't really trust insurance executives and members of Congress who I'm sure have access to excellent health coverage subsidized by the employer/taxpayer.
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